Walter comes to the nirdlinger house and wraps up the paperwork with mr. At the beginning of double indemnity walter huff is portrayed as a very ordinary huckster, wellknown to almost. Double indemnity was directed by billy wilder raymond chandler collaborated on the screenplay and starred fred macmurray, barbara stanwyck, and edward g. A story of crime and celebrity in 1920s new york, offer what wallaces book cannot. Double indemnity scene analysis double indemnity 1944 can be considered to be one of the films most representative of american film noir. Youve reached the hub for any and all dramatica analysis of double indemnity. Character analysis in the movie double indemnity essay typing. Double indemnity clauses are found most often in life insurance policies.
Like double indemnity, these films succeeded upon the unembellished interpretation of greed, desire, and unkindness because their fundamental theme was the profundity of human immorality and the absolutely unheroic character of human beingslessons that were almost not taught but without doubt reemphasized by the one of its kind horrors of. What are the 3 themes of the story double indemnity. Though jake mistakes her for her husbands killer at first, mrs. An analysis of billy wilders double indemnity inquiries.
Double indemnity study guide contains a biography of director billy wilder, literature. Like most hardboiled crime literature of the 1930s and 1940s, double indemnity paints a picture of humanity as corrupt and evil. Cain is considered to be one of the founders of the hardboiled genre of detective fiction, which developed during the prohibition era in. Cinematography in double indemnity media design and. Billy wilders american films, new york, berghahn books, 2008. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Cains character walter huff explains his dilemma in the crime noir. Character analysis in the movie double indemnity published by james taylor at january 3, 2018 in the movie double indemnity, phyllis dietrichson the unhappy wife of an older and wealthy man is sexually objectified both by the imagery of the movie and her character position as related to other characters. Why is phyllis in double indemnity hailed as one of. A woman and her lover murder the womans husband for insurance.
In addition, evelyn mulwray is emphatically not a femme fatale like the heartless phyllis dietrichson of double indemnity 1944 or the snakelike kathie moffat of out of the past 1947. Cains 1943 novella of the same name, which originally appeared as an eightpart serial in liberty magazine, beginning in february 1936. Cain is considered to be one of the founders of the hardboiled genre of detective fiction, which developed during the prohibition era in the united states 19201933. Jul 14, 2015 some of the changes made to the double indemnity screenplay were definite improvements on the book, probably due to the fact that raymond chandler was a cowriter on the movie. Dietrichson, and subsequently conspires with an insurance salesman, walter neff, to help kill her husband. Double indemnity is a 1943 crime novel, written by american journalistturned novelist james. Double indemnity study guide contains a biography of director billy wilder, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. The film was developed at a time when film noir movies were gaining immense popularity, making it one of the best film noir to date. This study guide consists of approximately 51 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of double indemnity. Sep 17, 20 since we talked mostly about femme fatales in class, i focused mainly on the one introduced in last weeks film, double indemnity. Humans are selfserving and greedy, ruled by their baser passions. However, two relatively recent books about prohibitionera, frontpage tabloid crime stories, landis mackellars the double indemnity murder. Cain introduction in the literary work double indemnity, the character walter huff asserts, i had put myself in her power, so there was one person in the world that could point a finger at me, and i. Ruth snyder, judd gray, and new yorks crime of the century and stephen duncombe and andew mattsons the bobbed haired bandit.
Why is phyllis in double indemnity hailed as one of cinema. Its in black and white, it has fast badinage, its very witty, a story from the classic age. Billy wilder 1944 is a film about an insurance sales man walter neff fred macmurray that falls for a highly sexual, scandalous woman, phyllis dietrichson barbara stanwyck who attempts to kill her husband. Since we talked mostly about femme fatales in class, i focused mainly on the one introduced in last weeks film, double indemnity. Cains novel by raymond chandler and directed by billy wilder, double indemnity is a film noir representing one of the highest levels of urban crime dramas. Analysis paper on movie double indemnity 1944 essay. This book exposes a wide audience to the approach for the first time, introducing the concept then providing a sequence analysis of eleven significant feature films made between 1940 and 2000. Double indemnity is a film noir directed by billy wilder in 1944, and it was based on the novel of the same name double indemnity which was published in 1943. Some of the changes made to the double indemnity screenplay were definite improvements on the book, probably due to the fact that raymond chandler was a cowriter on the movie. I was initially worried going into double indemnity as found a few scenarios sounded almost identical to what i read the postman always rings twice where the wife of a rich business man teams up with her lover to plot her husbands murder.
Dietrichson is found dead on a traintrack, the police accept the determination of accidental death. Read download double indemnity pdf pdf book library. This film was nominated for seven academy awards, but it did not win any prize. A biography of billy wilder an indepth chapterbychapter summary and analysis a short summary a character list and related descriptions suggested essay questions and answers quotes and analysis a list of themes a glossary historical context two academic essays if available 100 quiz. Jan 03, 2018 character analysis in the movie double indemnity published by james taylor at january 3, 2018 in the movie double indemnity, phyllis dietrichson the unhappy wife of an older and wealthy man is sexually objectified both by the imagery of the movie and her character position as related to other characters.
The shop around the corner double indemnity nights of cabiria north by northwest lawrence of arabia the graduate one flew over the cuckoos. I vaguely recall watching the movie of the same name. Double indemnity is a 1944 american film noir directed by billy wilder, cowritten by wilder and raymond chandler, and produced by buddy desylva and joseph sistrom. Cinema scholars often refer to barbara stanwycks character of phyllis dietrichson in double indemnity 1944 as one of the top examples of the femme fatale, as her conniving spirit and good looks worked all the men in her story to her whims. A detailed description of double indemnity characters and their importance. Intelligent, gorgeous, selfassured and drenched in enough sexual allure to stop a heart at 50 paces.
Film analysis of double indemnity essay 2446 words. The product of a creative holy trinitynovelist james m. Like double indemnity, these films succeeded upon the unembellished interpretation of greed, desire, and unkindness because their fundamental theme was the profundity of human immorality and the absolutely unheroic character of human beingslessons that were almost not taught but without doubt reemphasized by the one of its kind horrors of world war ii. Double indemnity scene analysis billy wilder s double indemnity is one of the best representatives of the film noir era in hollywood as it contains all the main characteristics of the genre. The best of film noir sizzles with crackling, sardonic dialogue, veiled lust, terrific blackandwhite photography, and overtones of. Oct 09, 2008 double indemnity is an incredibly dark film with characters emerging from darkness, shadows obscuring the faces of the characters and a strong prevalence of venetian blinds casting striped shadows over everything in shot. The film double indemnity directed by billy wilder is a wonderful work that focuses heavily on relationships between characters. Analysis paper on movie double indemnity 1944 essay the movie double indemnity directed by billy wilder is considered to be the classic masterpiece of the u. Film analysis of double indemnity film studies essay. We described a femme fatale as being beautiful, one who leads the main character into danger, and feigns naivete or weakness to hide manipulative goals. According to imdb, cain liked the plot solutions that billy wilder and raymond chandler came up with for the movie and would have used them in the book if he had thought. Double indemnity femme fatale films from literature. She is a beautiful and alluring woman, barely older than lola, her husbands daughter from a previous marriage. Film analysis of double indemnity from the moment they met, it was murder.
The characters, scenario and stylistic elements of double indemnity all perfectly represent this group of hollywood films from the early 1940s to the late 1950s. Double indemnity, published in 1934, is cains second novel and is set in the young, booming. Double indemnity has all the hallmarks of film noir its a moody, pessimistic crime story with strong overtones of spiritual bankruptcy and moral cynicism. Walter huff became walter neff, and phyllis nirdlinger became. May 11, 2012 phyllis proposes to kill her husband to receive the proceeds of an accident insurance policy and walter devises a scheme to receive twice the amount based on a double indemnity clause. Double indemnity the finale summary and analysis gradesaver. It was first published in serial form in liberty magazine in 1936 and then was one of three long short tales in the collection three of a kind. These cold, calculating foxes are natures consummate predators, guaranteed to ensnare any man by his short and curlies faster and tighter than a rusty zipper. The main characters of double indemnity, walter huff and phyllis nordlinger, are much more evil than frank chambers and cora papadakis, the murdering adulterers of the postman always rings twice. A term of an insurance policy by which the insurance company promises to pay the insured or the beneficiary twice the amount of coverage if loss occurs due to a particular cause or set of circumstances. It is quite short especially if you ignore the padding in the foreword which serves no real purpose.
Double indemnity is the second book i read of james m. In the film characters get caught up in relationships that they have to keep hidden. It was strange reading this book as it times it seemed like i was watching an old black and white movie. According to imdb, cain liked the plot solutions that billy wilder and raymond chandler came up with for the movie and would have used them in the book if he had thought of them himself. Double indemnity study guide contains a biography of director billy wilder, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a. Although cain has been accused of merely writing a rehash of postman, i found double indemnity to be a much darker tale. Barton keyes is the dogged, determined investigator for general fidelity of california who puts it all together in double indemnity, james m. Oct 12, 2014 this murder scene from double indemnity has many interesting and intelligent camera, sound, lighting, miseenscene and editing uses, all used to emphasise certain parts of the scene and create particular moods and feelings.
Cain 1935 classic noir novel double indemnity through the actions of the main character phyllis nirdlinger. The term double indemnity refers to a clause in certain life insurance policies that doubles the payout in rare cases when the death is accidental, such as falling off a train. In the movie double indemnity, phyllis dietrichson the unhappy wife of an older and wealthy man is sexually objectified both by the imagery of. Cains classic 1936 tale of lust and murder and insurance. Double indemnity 1944 is the story of a woman, phyllis dietrichson, who has manipulated her way into marriage with a wealthy man, mr. In addition to the storyform, youll also find any additional analysis or media related to the story in question. The main characters of double indemnity, walter huff and phyllis.
Double indemnity essays are academic essays for citation. This movie discusses not only interpersonal relations between men and women, but also it reveals corruption and immorality found in the society of those times. Mulwray eventually emerges as the storys most tragic victim. Analysis of the film double indemnity 2728 words bartleby. This film was directed by billy wilder, produced by buddy desylva and joseph sistrom and cowriten by wilder and raymond chandler. In 1938, walter neff, an experienced salesman of the pacific all risk insurance co. Double indemnity legal definition of double indemnity. The movie double indemnity directed by billy wilder is considered to be the classic masterpiece of the u. An insurance representative lets himself be talked by a seductive housewife into a murderinsurance fraud scheme that arouses the suspicion of an insurance investigator. An insurance representative lets himself be talked into a murderinsurance fraud scheme that arouses an insurance. These relationships also have power dynamics that emphasize and help push the story forward. An analysis of double indemnity 1944 the classic film noir film studied in this task is double indemnity 1944. Double indemnity 1944 summary, analysis jotted lines. Character analysis in the movie double indemnity essay.
Cain, virtuoso of the roman noir, gives us a tautly narrated and excruciatingly suspenseful story in double indemnity, an xray view of guilt, of duplicity, and of the kind of obsessive, loveless love that devastates everything it touches. Cain, screenwriter raymond chandler, and director billy wilderthis 1944 film noir works as a quintessential california narrative at the same time it creates a universe all its own. The murderers in double indemnity are phyllis nirdlinger, a very attractive, unhappily married woman, and walter huff, an insurance agent who falls in love with phyllis and whom she uses as the. In the opening, at the very start o the film, there is a close up shot of the main character, called phyllis. The double indemnity novel community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context. Double indemnity the movie that i watched this week is a 1944 american film called, double indemnity. There is no doubt in double indemnity, that phyllis dietrichson, the dissatisfied wife of a wealthy older man is being sexually objectified both by the imagery of the film and by her position in relation to the other characters. Double indemnity is a 1934 detective novella by james m cain. Tautly narrated and excruciatingly suspenseful, double indemnity gives us an xray view of guilt, of duplicity, and of the kind of obsessive, loveless love that devastates everything it touches. Phyllis dietrichson double indemnity in other words, a trickster, adept at wearing any personality mask they need to accomplish their goals. It was originally published as part of a set with two other stories, called three of a kind, in liberty magazine. Double indemnity is a 1943 crime novel, written by american journalistturnednovelist james m.
Praised by many critics when first released, double indemnity was nominated for seven academy awards but did not win any. Still, as far as the book goes, hes a relatively minot character. Walter huff was an insurance salesman with an unfailing instinct for clients who might be in trouble, and his instinct led. A dark, seductive tale of lust and murder in double indemnity.
The character phyllis nirdlinger as a femme fatale 75. An indepth look at a film noir classic barbara stanwyck and fred macmurray in double indemnity, billy wilder 1944 it has all the characteristics of the classic forties film as i respond to it. Well, double indemnity has one of the most memorable of these vile. Walter neff, a top insurance salesman macmurray, falls for the bored, sharptalking wife stanwyck of an oilman and goes in with her on a murder and insurance fraud scheme. The character phyllis nirdlinger as a femme fatale in double indemnity by james m. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of double indemnity by james m. The general darkness present throughout the movie is embodied in the plot which reveals the moral bankruptcy of the main characters. First published in book form in the volume three of a kind 1943.
Aug 27, 2011 double indemnity originally appeared as a serial in liberty magazine in 1936, and, despite cains initial reservations, was published in hardcover with two other of cains novellas in 1943. Analysis of psychotic greed in double indemnity 915 words. In the adaptation, wilder and chandler changed the names of the main characters. This is the legendary tag line for billy wilders most incisive film noir, double indemnity, even though in 1944, when it was first released in new york on september 11, critics called it a melodrama, an elongated dose of premeditated suspense, with a pragmatism evocative of earlier period french films poetic.
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